Why it’s important to encourage male workers to take parental leave

A look at the risky business of ‘Dad bias’ in the workplace

By Michael Marty

07/11/2016|Canadian HR Reporter|Last Updated: 07/12/2016

It’s a scenario that often plays out, with little fanfare — a young father keen to go on paternity leave is “reminded” by his boss that he’s leading a big a project so he’s “encouraged” to come back to work sooner rather than later.

The facts may vary but the result is the same — implicit bias towards dads has become a big reason so many new fathers are still afraid to take time away from work for the birth of a child.

From a manager’s perspective, there are numbers to hit, and whatever work the new dad isn’t doing inevitably lands on someone else’s desk. Six whole weeks? It’s not like he’s the one giving birth. It makes sense to push back a little, right?Wrong. This approach is flawed in that it prioritizes short-term need over long-term stability and investment. And that’s risky business.